Where We Left off Yesterday

Chapter 4

"I believe by standing with the LGBTQ+ community, writing and campaigning with them will help others, to feel better about themselves and the families of others to respect them more" at the Alison could feel the emotions bubbling up inside of her, but she tried to hard to keep her voice steady.

The interviewer licked her lips, pondering her next words carefully "How are you so sure that this will work our in the end"

"I have hope" Alison smiled sheepishly as the crowd of people watching them intently "And it's ironic, because all my life it was beat into my head that hope is a fantasy that people hold onto, in other words it's not real"

Alison paused, the interviewer urged her to continue

"But then I met someone" Alison dreamily sighed "Someone who game me hope, and showed me how real it was"

"This person was special to you?"

"Is — special to me, yes" she corrected

***
"Run, run, run RUN ELI" Pam cheers on the bleachers jumping up and down, deeply into the basketball game her nephew was currently in.

Everyone cheers around her, but Emily stays silent. People were standing up all around her, usually she was one of the tallest people in the room, but now wasn't one of those times. Her eyes following the players as they run up and down the court, chasing after the ball, slamming into each other, and pushing each other down.

It may seem brutal to others, but Emily wanted nothing more than to be on that court right now. It was a Fields family tradition, Eli, her father, her uncles, her cousins all played the game. She did once as well, but now she couldn't.

Emily was great at basketball, it was almost like she was born to play, there are plenty of home movies her parents have of her shooting her first layup on her kiddie hoop, or her when she was only ten shooting her first three pointer. As selfish as it sounds, it was hard for her to be here and watch his game, pretending to be happy for him, when she knew that she would probably never be able to play again.

So Emily watched silently, a longing look in her eyes, she didn't want to be there but she had to.

After the game was over her mother grabbed Emily's forearm and guided them  both onto the court to see Eli. Once he saw them his brown eyes lit up.

He went over to hug Pam but she quickly stopped him "Um no bud, not until you shower"

The boy givers her a playful exasperated look. To which Pam just ruffles his hair in response.

"Did you have fun Em?" He carefully asks

"Yeah"  Came her dry response, earning  her a look from her mother.

Eli went to open his mouth but Pam quickly shushed him, whilst she softly soothes her daughters back. But Emily quickly shrugs her hand off.

Pam sighs, flashing Eli a knowing look to which he returned.

They both knew how hard it was for Emily, and they learned not to take what she says or does to heart. The girl was clearly in pain not being able to do thing she loves, so she wasn't going to hold what the brunette does over her head.

Emily wanders off into the crowd of people, that is until she is stopped by no other, than Paige. Emily tried to walk around her, but the redhead followed her blocking her path.

Emily dropped her shoulders defeated, starring at the other girl waiting for her to start.

"Do you — um — do you want to come to the brew with me?" She asked rocking on the heals of her feet.